DEFENSE/China may hold large-scale drill by year-end: Taiwan intelligence head

Taipei, Dec. 3 (CNA) Taiwan's top intelligence chief on Wednesday said it was not unlikely that China's military holds another large-scale military drill before the end of this year and that Taiwan has to stay prepared.

During a legislative session, National Security Bureau (NSB) Director-General Tsai Ming-yen (蔡明彥) said the People's Liberation Army (PLA) has routinely held separate military exercises in November and December each year to test the combat readiness of China's troops.

It is "not unlikely" that the PLA could consider combining some of these routine drills into one large-scale one and turn that exercise into one targeting Taiwan, Tsai said.

"We need to be prepared for possible enemy advancement, and we are keeping close tabs on all PLA deployments near Taiwan at all times," Tsai said.

According to Tsai, there are currently four PLA Naval fleets in the West Pacific.

The NSB is closely monitoring their movements in coordination with Taiwan's military and other intelligence units, and Taiwan will also conduct intelligence exchanges with other countries related to PLA movements when needed, he said.

Tsai gave his assessment at the Legislature when asked to comment on the possibility of the PLA holding another large-scale exercise near Taiwan amid tensions between Beijing and Tokyo over comments by Japan's prime minister on its response to a Taiwan contingency.

Sanae Takaichi said recently that a Chinese attack on Taiwan would count as "a situation threatening Japan's survival," and thus could trigger a military response from Tokyo, which drew an angry reaction from Beijing.

Tsai, meanwhile, also told lawmakers that as of today, a total of eight countries' warships have made 12 passages through the Taiwan Strait this year.

The eight countries are the United States, Japan, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam, the United Kingdom, and France, he said.

Taiwan and its international partners closely monitored each passage, Tsai said.

According to a Reuters report, the New Zealand navy's largest ship, the oiler HMNZS Aotearoa, made a rare transit through the Taiwan Strait in early November, Defense Minister Judith Collins told Reuters.

One source with knowledge of the situation said the ship was tracked and followed by Chinese forces as it sailed through the waterway, the Reuters report said.